PIP Award - Query

bazaar1

Hi all.

I got my PIP award today. I am thrilled to get it - especially as mental health is often ignored. But I am 2 points off higher mobility and 2 off higher rate. I am severely dyslexic, I use text to speech to type etc, but they've put that because I dont have any government funded equipment (I've never been offered any support) I must be able to read, and that my ability to retain information (ie if I read times on a microwave meal, as soon as I put it down I've forgotten) is not considered for PIP? They said because I can read letters for my business (which I said my MUM reads as I cannot do so) I am literate. 

My mum has taken all budget control from me, all my cards and accounts because I have no spend control at all, but they marked me asa zero for budgets. 

I had a nervous breakdown in 2020 and this has meant that what I could do before that - ie set up a business - has become impossible, and its running on family help alone. but she's used my business as a reason for me not get mobility as I can walk around my (200 square foot) shop. She says I can get public transport without any issues because I got the school bus (25 years ago!). 

Is it worth appealing or do I risk losing what I have? 

poppy123456

I think you may have misunderstood preparing food. This activity considers a claimant’s ability to prepare and cook a simple meal for one from fresh ingredients. It assesses ability to open packaging, peel and chop, serve food on to a plate and use a microwave oven or cooker hob to cook or heat food. Did you score any points for this activity?

For the mobility part, are you claiming for physical reasons as well as mental health? Where exactly did you score those points for this?

bazaar1

poppy123456 said:

I think you may have misunderstood preparing food. This activity considers a claimant’s ability to prepare and cook a simple meal for one from fresh ingredients. It assesses ability to open packaging, peel and chop, serve food on to a plate and use a microwave oven or cooker hob to cook or heat food. Did you score any points for this activity?

For the mobility part, are you claiming for physical reasons as well as mental health? Where exactly did you score those points for this?

thank you for the reply. 

I cannot cook anything, for a number of reasons, including following a reciepie or instructions on a microwave meal. I cannot use knives for safety reasons, same with biolling pans (I am a self harmer and have had them all removed), I have severe executive dysfunction and cannot get the will or energy to move to make a meal, my adhd means I forget things and have melted things to the oven etc, so the issue is stay as well as ability. I got 2 points. I got zero for the nutritional point, because my bmi is healthy, despite the fact that there are days where I dont eat at all, and others where I binge on prepped things. 

Yes on the mobility, I have degenerative disc disease and bulging discs, confirmed with 2 mris and various meds. she said that my meds were 'moderate' - 8-10 250mg tablets of tramadol a day, plus lidocaine patches and managed. My back can be a 4-5 pain scare some days and others it can spasms and be a ten and I cannot move, walk or transport myself. I can spasm out of nowhere and leave me unable to get back to my car. On top of that my anxiety, adhd and autism mean I panic in new or unfamiliar places, can't find my way back to the car etc. I have frozen in the middle of a road when crossing from my car to a shop before. I've lost bladder control, become aggressive and so on. Furthermore I am unable to read or follow directions, I cannot get on a bus and follow a bus route, I cannot even drive any where I dont know or follow tom tom - I explained all this, and gave examples of how when there was a diversion on the way to my mums house once I had to pull over and ended up having the police out looking for me as I was in such a state. 

poppy123456

Then you can challenge that decision by requesting the Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) within 1 month of the date of the decision.

You should put the request in writing stating where and why you think you should have scored those points. Include a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each activity that applies to you.

Please also remember that carrying items around the kitchen is not considered for this activity.